Sheet-holding mechanism



Dec. 8, 1964 H. M. HOPEN 3,159,931

SHEET-HOLDING MECHANISM 2 SheetsSheet 1 Filed July 28, 1961 INVENTOR. HA 1301.0 M Hops/v Ar ow/7 Dec. 8, 1964 H. M. HOPEN 3,159,931

SHEET-HOLDING MECHANISM Filed July 28, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Have/.0 M. HOPE Y 30 a 2 2m! Mg A rroelvsy United States Patent 3,159,931 SHEET-HOLDING MECHANESM Harold M. Hopen, Far Rockaway, N.Y., assignor to international Innovations, Incorporated, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed July 28, 1961, Ser. No. 127,613 3 Claims. (Cl. 40-1ti2) The present invention relates to an improved information hearing or displaying mechanism and more particularly to an improved mechanism wherein information may be borne on individual. sheets, slips or cards which are easily accessible when desired.

Heretofore, file mechanisms have been utilized in which information is recorded on individual sheets. The individual sheets are usually separately mounted on a backboard and are ofiset with respect to each other.

However, it has been found that in order to pick out a particular sheet, the user must manually and individually flip up a plurality of the sheets. It has also been found that such prior mechanisms are expensive to manufacture and bulky to use since the user utilizing such a mechasince the sheets holders are too heavy and bulky to be eiieetively used in this manner.

The present invention overcomes these drawbacks and has for one of its objects an improved file mechanism whereby the desired sheet may be easily picked out without the necessity of picking up each individual sheet.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of an improved mechanism whereby consecutive information can be obtained from or recorded seriatim on consecutive sheets and wherein each sheet can be flipped up by merely applying pressure or force on a lower sheet along the plane of a. backboard.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of an improved file mechanism which is lightweight and portable and which can be easily adapted for both small and large scale operations.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of an improved file mechanism which can be inexpensively manufactured in large quantities.

Other and further objects of the invention will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described, or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and description and is shown in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the specification, wherein:

' FIG. 1'is a perspective view of the mechanism of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective viewsimilar to FIG. 1 showing the mechanism of the present invention in the process of being used with the sheets being rotated around parallel axes one by one;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional View taken along line 44 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a modification of V be 5 reversed.

Patented Dec. 8, 1964 the file mechanism shown in FIGS. 1 through 4 and illustrating another means of assembling the sheets;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the manner in which the sheets of the embodiment shown in FIG. 5 may be assembled;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of embodiment shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken along 1ine.10--10 of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a top plan view of still another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the sheet-holders used in the embodiment shown in FIG. 8; and

FIG. 13 is a sectional view taken along line 13-43 of FIG. 11. a I

Referring to the drawings and more particularly .to FIGS. 1 to 4, the improved mechanism 1 comprises a the sheet-holders of the plurality of information-bearing or sample-displaying sheets 2, such as index cards; writing paper; photographs; textile samples; color samples; pictures in sequence to give eifect of motion; sketches or pictures in' sequence on clear plastic (as employed by so called transvision) to give three-dimensional eifect; flat containers such as envelopes of paper or plastic; metals or other sheet-like merchandise samples. The foregoing sheets are mounted on a backsheet 3 by means of a plurality of strips 4.

The backsheet 3 may be made of any desired material, such as paperboard or plastic, as may be desired and the sheets 2 may also be made of any desired material, as indicated in the foregoing paragraph. While the drawings show, backsheet 3 as being rectangular and the sheets 2 in the form of index cards of rectangular shape, it will be understood that both backsheet 3 and sheets 2 may assume difierent shapes as may be desired. j

The sheets 2 are mounted on the backsheet 3 by means of a plurality of strips 4. One end 5 of each of the strips 4 is mounted on the backsheet 3 and the remainder of each strip 4 is then folded over on itself, as shown in;

FIGS. 3 and 4 to permit the upper edges 6 of sheets 2 to be mounted thereon. The sheets 2 are mounted on the strips 4 in offset relationship to each other so that the lower edges 7 of the sheets are exposed, as is usual in such devices.

The sheet-holding strips 4 may be of any desired shape and may be made from any desired material. If desired, each may be a so-called adhesive tape in which one side has, a permanent adhesive thereon, or they may be blank strips to which the sheets 2 are adhered by any'suitable adhesive, as may be desired. Furthermore, the sheets 2 may be mounted on thebacking sheet by hinges, which may be made of any suitable material, such as plastic.

In addition, the strips 4 may be integral with the back- I are mounted thereon, upwardly thereby forcing the sheets to swing up and permit each sheet 2 to flip up and flip over consecutively, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4.

On the other hand, by pulling on any lower sheet 2' in the opposite direction, the flipping action and sequence will The information recorded on these sheets may be in consecutive order so the recorded information will be exposed to View in the correct order as each sheet is flipped up thus simplifying the researcherstask of referring to certain desired information.

3 The embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 through 7 shows a modification of the present invention which permits the individual sheets to be removed and replaced in the mechanism when a change-inthe recorded information is desired.

Referring to the drawings, a sheet-holding member ltl in'the form of a slat having closed clamping means 11 .at its ends is mounted on thebacksheet .12 by a plurality each other.

The sheet-holding elements 1 are mounted on strips 13 adjacent each other so that when the sheets 14 are mounted thereon they will lie in offset relationship to each other, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 7.

Each sheet 14 is provided. with opposed slits 15 at their edges near the top portion thereof to form ears 17. Each sheet 14 is adapted to be mounted onthe sheetholding element 14 by inserting the ears 17 into the closed clamping means 11 to clamp the sheets in place, as shown in FIG. 5. Here again, the sheets 14, when mounted on the holders 19 are in offset relationship to each other and pressure is applied to any sheet in the direction of the arrow along the plane of the backsheet 12 permitting each 7 of the sheets 14 to fiip up and flip over consecutively, as

shown in FIG. 5. Here again, pulling on any lower sheet will reverse the flipping action and sequence.

If it is desired to remove a sheet to change the information or to replace it, it is merely necessary to remove .the cars 17 from the closed clamping me'ans ll of the holders 10 and to insert a new sheet. This can be done without disturbing the strips '13.

FIGS. 8 through 10 show another embodiment of the present invention in which in this structure the sheetholders 2% are tubular members with slits 21 therein adapted to accommodate the ears 22 of the sheets 23. The holders are mounted to each of the ears 22 by any suitable means, for example, as shown in the drawing, by stitching '24. The topmost holder 20a is affixed to the backplate 25 by a flap 26 to which the holder Ztla is mounted by any means, as by stitching 27, and which is mounted to backplate 25 by any suitable means, such as staples. Preferably the flap 27 and all of the holders 20 are stitched together to make a unitary structure. 7

Here again, pressure applied to any lower sheet 249 in the direction of the arrow along the plane of the backstreet 25 will permit'the sheets 2% to fiip up in the same manner as in the two embodiments shown in FIGS. 1

FIGS.;11 to 13 show still another embodiment of the present invention wherein a plurality of sheet-holders 34 are adhered to the; backplate Si by a tape SZ which has one end 33 mounted on the baeksheet 3i and its other end 34 folded over on itself and on which the holders are mounted. T e holders 30 comprise a top wall 35,

a bottom wall 36 and a central bearingedge 37. The

bearing edge 37 is spaced from the top wall'35' to permit the sheets 38 to be removably mounted in the holders 38 and to beheld in place between'top wall and bearing edge 37.

With this structure the sheets may be easily removed and replaced and the sheets may be made of a flexible I material such as paper or rigid material suchas paperboard or'rnetal. In order to aid in the flip-up action, the lowermost sheet 30:: may be rigid inorder to permit pressure to be applied thereto in the direction of the arrow without any bending or flexing. 7

It willbe seen that the present invention provides an improved mechanism in which information can be obtained in series by merely applying pressure to the d. lowermost sheet without'physically flipping each sheet individually.

The present invention. also provides improved means for easily removing a particular sheet from its holder and replacing it with another sheet.

Furthermore, themechanism of the present invention may be made of light material so that it can be adapted to both small and large scale operations and so that it can be manufactured inexpensively.

As various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts herein without v a plurality of sheets, each sheet having a front surface,

" a rear surface,

an upper and a lower edge,

a plurality of sheet supporting means to detachably hold a plurality of said sheets at the upper section thereof to allow each sheet to be rotated about its upper edge, 7 V

each of said sheet supporting means having an edge,

said upper edge of each of said sheets being parallel to and substantially adjacent the upper edge of each of said sheet supporting means respectively,

each of said sheet supporting means being coupled to adjacent sheet supporting means and being positioned in respective underlapping arrangement, i

each of said sheet supporting means further being fold able andfolding into back-to-back contact with an upper adjacent sheet supporting means when said sheets are pled at its upper edge to a part of theadjacent over-- lapping sheet supporting means at a position below the upper edge thereof, whereby upon'application of a force in a direction substantially along the plane of said sheets, the sheets flip in seriatim beginning with the uppermost sheet.

2. A file mechanism comprising a base memberhaving a substantially fiat surface; i flexible coupling means,

a plurality of relatively thin, flat file members being held in position one under the other successively and offset from each'othe'r, said file members being '50 held by being secured to said flexible coupling means,

' each file member having a top surface, a bottom surface opposing said top surface,

a top edge, e 'i and a bottom edge opposing said top edge;

the top edge of a first file member being detachably journaled to the surface of said base member to permit rotation of said file member relative to the surface of said base member; the top edge of each of therother file members being detachably vjournaled through said coupling means to the bottom surface of an adjacent file member on an axis parallel to and spaced from the'top edge thereof to permit 180 rotation of each file member with respect to the bottom surface of said adjacent file member, said the members other thansaid first being free of said base member, said coupling means being connected at'thetop thereof to said base member, and said coupling means further being foldable and folding back. upon itself at a plurality of positions when said sheets are rotated, whereby when a l member, said first file member and those between said given and first file members will flip in seriatim about their respective top edges.

3. A filing device comprising a backing member,

a plurality of sheets, adapted for rotation on said backing member, each sheet including an upper surface, a bottom surface, a top edge and a bottomedge,

each sheet being positioned in substantially coplanar, parallel relationship with one another, said sheets being positioned one under the other in underlapping relationship at said top and bottom edges, the top edge of each sheet being spaced apart from the top edge of the overlapping sheet by a predetermined distance,

flexible coupling means connected at the top thereof to said backing member and also coupling each of said sheets to respective adjacent sheets,

the upper only of said sheets being rotatably coupled at the upper edge thereof to said backing member by said coupling means,

said coupling means including a plurality of sheet gripping means to detachably hold said sheets for rotation about their respective top edges,

said sheet gripping means being positioned in longitudinal spaced apart relationship,

the distance between alternate sheet gripping means being substantially equal to the said predetermined distance between said sheets,

said coupling means coupling the upper edges of successive sheets to the bottom surfaces of the respective overlapping sheets at positions below the upper edges of said overlapping sheets, and said coupling means being foldable and folding back upon itself at a. plurality of positions when said sheets are rotated.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 930,290 Hohn Aug. 3, 1909 2,253,858 Lucas Aug. 26, 1941 2,532,129 Thull Nov. 28, 1950 2,595,972 Naurison May 6,1952 

1. A FILING DEVICE COMPRISING A BACKING MEMBER A PLURALITY OF SHEETS, EACH SHEET HAVING A FRONT SURFACE, A REAR SURFACE, AN UPPER AND LOWER EDGE, A PLURALITY OF SHEET SUPPORTING MEANS TO DETACHABLY HOLD A PLURALITY OF SAID SHEETS AT THE UPPER SECTION THEREOF TO ALLOW EACH SHEET TO BE ROTATED ABOUT ITS UPPER EDGE, EACH OF SAID SHEET SUPPORTING MEANS HAVING AN UPPER EDGE, SAID UPPER EDGE OF EACH OF SAID SHEETS BEING PARALLEL TO AND SUBSTANTIALLY ADJACENT THE UPPER EDGE OF EACH OF SAID SHEET SUPPORTING MEANS RESPECTIVELY, EACH OF SAID SHEET SUPPORTING MEANS BEING COUPLED TO ADJACENT SHEET SUPPORTING MEANS AND BEING POSITIONED IN RESPECTIVE UNDERLAPPING ARRANGEMENT, 